New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-08-07
WASHINGTON GOSSIP.
VISITING HIS FLORIDA PLANTATION.


| GENERALS BLACK AND sLOcUM
| WASHINGTON, Aug. 6.-Some of the in Wash
ngton who tempted to inyesI in Florida lands,
which they had never seen, with the expectation OF
respng big profits from groves and cotton and
sugar plantations, have been sorey disappointed and
1t is almost pa nful to listen to their remarks
ing the aowery State One of these disguised iuves-
tors is responsible for the following story After the
war; Florida eIContederste returned to his planta-
ton in the woods broken in spirit aud with an
empty purse. He went bravely TO work aud tor
several years toed with indifferent to wiring
scanty Subsistence from his ten thousand acres of
sandy hlocks and oozy swamps. At last thoroue My
discouraged, he bethought himself of rich FREUD in
| New-York and applied to him for loan OF ten
thousand dollars which he readily obtained by giving
as security a mortgage on his plantation. Bad
year. succeeded bad year" the interest the loan
not paid, and finally the debtor besought his
creditor t. take the estate and call quits That was
done, and the plantation placed in charge OF an
overseer, o Floridian, /" native and to the manner
| born" Still tho estate failed to yield revenue
| willis tax bills and other charges appeared with
punctual and annoying regularity. Last winter the
NewYorker decided visit Florida aad see his rlan
tatOn. One dreary morning. after sleepless night
journey, he alighted from railwny car at a small
station n the woods. After many inquiries he found
native who not ONLY knew the way to the property
but who persuaded for liberal fee to guide the
owner to it, To obtain the OF cIrrage and horses
out OF the question, fact which was )und 10 ne
OF minor consequence because IL ere no road over
| VIII CHI a carriage could be driven When the big
landed proprietor mounted small hafstarved
mule on whose back coarse blanket was strapped,
aud took up the rens the rope bride his heart sank
within him. He began to DO sorry that he had not
given the estate to the some other enemy
and stayed at home. Alter ho had followed his con-
ducor In silence TOR several hours through an unln-
habited wilderness where even the trees presented
halfsarved appearance, the proprietor pulled mp his
long cared steed and asked: How much father is
1t to the place I" The native stopped, disnounter,
| exchanged his qud for a cob pre-, which he szy
filed and lighted. and tbon replied reckon it's
| right smart chance yet, stranger. low we must
| have taken the wrong track back we're, but I'll hnd
the place. This yere pats not very thckly settled
YETI The travellers plodded YEARLY on until after
midday, when they reached small clearing and dis
covered faint signs Of human 0ccup sncy aud an occa-
sioual trace OF cultivation. few scrawny, UNDER
sized cattle and dozen balt-wild swine scampered
away before them and at last they found beaten
path. Ii led them near log-house which stood IN
field in which some feeble attempts to raise corn and
cotton apparently had been made. From one OF tue
stick-aud-nud obimneys smoke laziy assembled. and
that the only sign of human occupation until the
Newly orkrr drearly exclaimed: Can II be possible
that any human being is compelled TO stay in place
| lik. that Who can be moro poyerty-stricken than
the poor wretch who tries to draw his subsistence
from such soil T. lie heard q voice. and it was not
that OF his guide, who had stopped and dismounted
and who was lcsurely filling his pipe. short dis
lance away seated the remains OF old gate, was
another navebOrn citizen OF Florida clad IN hcms-
spun with cob pipe in ms mouth and long shotgun
resting across HIS knees He the personibcation
OF Florida shittles.ness and dlcncs-. when he opened
his mouth and drawed in a tone hafresenttul and
halt philosophical say stranLe I'm not so dog
goned poor and miserable you think. don't own
this yere land. 1t belongs to blink Yankee who has
got plenty OF money and afford to own this we're
plantation and pay the taxes won't you light and
a bit 70 sint got nary plug O. terbacker about
yo has yo. srangcrp The Yankee had dsco' ered his
Florida estate but he had not the heart TO ex pore It,
He did light and endure the hospitality OF his over
seer and agent for hour. and then he turned bis
mules he al toward the railroad a sadder and wiser
man. That night he boarded n railway train and He'd
northward His escape from Florida he regards ~
fortunate but he has not been loky enough to sell or
gyeawa his plau tation, and new bill Tor tsIes Ia
! on its way TO him.
| suppose that comparatively few people even in
Washington know how much it co-ts the taxpayers
annually to support the dignity OF the Presidential
Office" The salary OF the President, as everybody
knows, 10 $4,000. His Official aud household s,a H.,
including private secretar.es clerks, messengers,
doorkeepers. steward h:emen, etc, cost Tor ga tr1es
S33. s64 for tho contingent expenses OF the Exec
utive Office, official account the sum of $4,000 is
pro ,iled Tor scare. repair anu refurnsbng the
Executive Mansion " $4,000 per year is granted by
Congress, to be expended as the President may
direct; fuel for the Executive Mansion greenhouses
and stable costs So 900 per annm tor care and nee
essary repair OF greenhouses there ia regular an-
nual appropriation OF $1,000. In addition to that
there appropriation this year OF $1,000 Tor re-
newing superstructure OF one geeDhouse, and the
work is now in progress. Last year there was an ex-
ira appropriation OF $4,000 for the repair OF tho
White House conservatory. Thus il will he seen that
from $4,000 to $1l 900 per annum to supply
| the President and his household with flowers and
| plants. OF course great many are sent To the
families of members OF the Cabinet and other dgni-
| tarles with whom the President and Mrs. Cleveland
maintain social relations. Occasionally too. one
hears that bouquet or basket OF bowers has oeen
sent from the bite House conservatory to hospital
sickroom. 1t Is impracticabe TO separate tue on
cial from The sempube or unoicia' expenditures 81
| the Executive Mansion. Tho total for the current
year. lucluang he salaries of the President and his
| Official staff, amounts TO $ll6,3G4.
Tho performances OF the District Commissioners
have been fruitful subject OF comment aud discus
sion in Washington during the past few days II the
people generally not 80 indignant they would Do
! able 10 enjoy the absurd predicsment IN which MT
Cleveland has been placed by the acts OF the re.
! form officers appointed By him TO rule the National
| CAPITAL use the word rule" advnedly. tor in no
! country except Russia probably can be found city
| which Is governed In arbitrary manner or by
| more whimsical aud unreasonable not TO say unaw-
full regulations than Is Washington today Most
people Law the blame the shoulders OF the Engineer
| Commissioner, Major Ludlow, who is n sort OF mill.
| tary dude and who has earned the title OF LORD
Ludlow by his overbearing manners and his ignorance
or disregard OF tho amenities which usually mark the
intercourse between the official aud tho citizen in this
country One of Lord Ludlow's colleagues Is Com
missioner wheotey, lumber dealer. who IS said to
sneeze whenever Ludlow takes snuff. The other COM
| missioner il Mr.. Webb, amiable ger teman VINO
was generally held in high esteem until he began TO
be sadded with part OF the responsibility Tor some
of tho worst mites of bis associates. Some OF the
complaints against Ludlow apoear 10 be TRIVIAL " NOT
unjust One says that Lord Ludlow parts his hair
| In the middle and smokes cigarettes" Well this is
free country ard a District Commissioner might do
both those things an yet perform his duty satisiac
| torlly. Another story designed to east oontumey
on his lordsip that the rather stringent regulations